Common Ants in Washington State

Jun 1

One ant in your home quickly grows into a dozen and continues to multiply until you are completely overwhelmed. Pest Busters Washington WA has the experts to teach you about ants in Washington, and how to control them so they don't return to your home.

Washington Types of Ants

Earth currently has an estimated 1 million billion billion ants. This includes over 12,000 species. That's quite a number of ants! There are four main types of ants that Washington has to be concerned about.

Odorous House Ants
Carpenter Ants
Pavement Ants
Velvety-tree Ants

Odorous House Ants

House ants are also known as sugar ants or odorous house ants are black to one-eighth of an inch long. They emit a strong, unpleasant stench when crushed and are similar to rotten coconuts. They love sweets and meats and are most commonly found in the kitchen. Because they are nocturnal, it can be very difficult to find where their nest is in your home. Although they can bite, they do not cause any pain.

Carpenter Ants

Carpenter Ants can be as large as 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch. The queen can measure up to an inch. This type of Ant lives in moist or decaying wood and tunnels through the wood creating its nests. It can cause serious structural damage to your home.

Pavement Ants

Pavement ants are commonly found on sidewalks and driveways. But they can also be found indoors looking for food. They can invade your garden, trashcan, compost bin, and pet bowls.

Velvety-tree Ants

Velvety tree ants are covered in dense, fine hairs. They make nests in logs or stumps. This is why they are called velvety. If they nest indoors, they are usually found in damp or decaying wood or moist wall spaces. Velvety tree bugs are aggressive biters, injecting a poison that can cause pain similar to a scorpion bite.

What is the Cause of Ants in Your House?

Ants are always in search of food and water. If they find one in your home they will tell their colony. Small things such as crumbs on your floor, spilled juice, spilled water on the countertop, and forgotten pet food can all be beacons to ants. Once they find food, the ants create a trail to carry the food back home. You can probably get rid of ants if you identify the source. But this isn’t always true.

How to Prevent Ants from Your Home

It's much easier to prevent ants from entering your home than to eradicate an infestation. It is easy to make a difference by doing the following:

Clean up leftovers to keep them from sitting out overnight.
To eliminate crumbs, sweep and vacuum regularly.
Wash your hands after you've spilled anything or made food.
Keep food sealed out of reach of ants.
Fill cracks in the foundation around windows and doors.
Inspect your house for moisture.
Remove any branches or limbs touching your house. These could be used by the ants as a bridge.
The barrier can be sprayed with to kill any ants.

How to Get Rid Of Ants in Your House

You have a greater chance of getting rid of an ant infestation if you act quickly.

These bait stations are store-bought and can be used to lure ants to the bait, which they then bring back to their colony. The bait will spread and eventually eliminate the entire colony.
Insecticidal products kill ants upon contact. Some also create a protective barrier that can last for several days.

These options may provide short-term relief but not long-term protection. If you don't know the source of an infestation, you will be limited to treating the ants you see. Ant control professionals can help you get to the root of your problem. Pest Busters Olympia WA provides a comprehensive service that includes safe and effective products that eliminate ants permanently.

Pest Busters Olympia WA

Olympia Wa

(360) 226 1790